This invention relates to a computerised stock control system and relates particularly but not exclusively to such for use in connection with dispensing of chemicals and/or drugs in research establishments, hospitals or the like.
Hitherto, stock which is to be dispensed such as chemicals and drugs at research establishments, hospitals or the like have been controlled manually either by an honor system by an individual requesting the stock or by a person who picks stock from a store. The prior systems have possessed a number of disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is that often, stock is dispensed without there being a genuine need for the stock to be used. In some environments, accurate records are not kept of stock usage and this has led generally to inefficiencies in stock control. Another disadvantage is that a particular individual or a department in which that individual works may have a particular budget. It has been very difficult in the past to accurately control and monitor the stock within the allocated budget. Another disadvantage is that, because of inefficiencies of records keeping, stock is not always replaced in a main store where the stock is picked until such time that the stock is exhausted or dangerously low in supply for the needs of the individual or department. Another disadvantage is that certain stock should be available only to selected persons and the required procedures to check this have been cumbersome.
The present invention has been devised to attempt to alleviate one or more of the aforementioned problems.
Therefore according to a first broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a computerised stock control system comprising:
a) a central computer device for controlling a central part of the system
b) at least one dispensing station where stock can be dispensed,
c) an output means from which reports can be generated concerning stock,
d) a software programme controlling said computer device for controlling the central part of the system;
said at least one dispensing station including user identification means, and stock identification input means to provide identification of stock to be dispensed from said dispensing station and also to provide identification of stock which is passed into said dispensing station for subsequent dispensing, dispensing station computing means connected with said user identification means and said input means, and a software program for controlling said dispensing station computing means, said dispensing station computing means being coupled with said central computer device to pass stock and user data therebetween;
said system operating such that when stock is passed into said dispensing station, said stock identification input means is used to obtain data relating to the stock being passed,.and when stock is required to be dispensed a user must enter user identification data through said user identification means and be acknowledged by the dispensing station computing means as an authorised person to dispense stock to and said user must also enter identification data of stock to be dispensed through said stock identification means which then clears the system for dispensing the requested stock,
said dispensing station computing means logging the user identification data and the identification data of stock to be dispensed and conveying that data to said central computer device, said central computer device processing that data and providing a report via said output means concerning stock dispensing.
Most preferably said user identification means must be activated by a person adding stock to said dispensing station so that data identifying that person can be acknowledged by the dispensing station computer means as an authorised stock adding person in order that the system will accept data from said input means which identifies stock being passed into said dispensing station.
Most preferably in one embodiment said dispensing station is an automated dispensing cabinet and wherein particular stock to be dispensed is selected amongst a variety of stock contained therein, said cabinet having selecting means responsive to an output from said dispensing station computing means said output being generated when the system is cleared for dispensing the requested stock and acting through dispensing means by automatically dispensing the requested stock.
Most preferably, in another embodiment, said dispensing station is a manual dispensing station where an authorised attendant manually picks stock to be dispensed in response to the system being cleared to dispense stock.
Most preferably the user identification data is used to check against authorisation records to determine particular stock that is allowed to be dispensed to that user and to determine stock that is not allowed to be dispensed to that user.
Most preferably said dispensing station user identification means comprises a reader means for reading user identification code on a user carried card.
Most preferably said user carried card contains not only a record of the user identification but data of budget amounts for that user, and said software at said dispensing station is able to interrogate said card to extract that data of budget amounts and calculate if requested stock is within the budget amount and to update the card with the remaining balance against budget after dispensing the requested stock.